Power-driven apparatus for oppositely reciprocating a pair of spaced members



Sept. 13, 1966 -1.r-L:Rcauso|\1 ETAL 3,272,023

POWER-DRIVEN APPARATUS FOR OPPOSITELY RECIPROCATING A PAIR OF SPACED MEMBERS Filed Nov. 16, 1964 III Carmen/N5 M feGms'o/v United States Patent O 3 272,023 POWER-DRIVEN APPARATUS FOR OPPOSITELY RECIPROCATIN G A PAIR OF SPACED MEMBERS James Ferguson and Catherine M. Ferguson, both of 14350 Vose St., Van Nuys, Calif. Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,191 6 Claims. (Cl. 74-55) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to power-driven apparatus for reciprocating a pair of spaced members which are usually applicatory members of one type or another, although not specifically so limited in all forms of the invention, and which, in one preferred form, comprise a pair of hair comb members adapted to be reciprocated oppositely with respect to each other for the purposes referred to hereinafter and which, for reasons of simplicity and clarity, will be described hereinafter as exemplifying the invention. However, it should be specifically understood that the invention is not so limited and may, in certain forms, reciprocate two (or more) members in any desired relative phase relationship ranging from zero degrees to 180 degrees phase shift between the reciprocated members.

In connection with the preferred exemplary form of the invention referred to above wherein it comprises apparatus for oppositely reciprocating a pair of hair combs, it will be noted that this has a number of decided advantages. For example there is the fact that easier combing through tangled and unruly hair can be achieved. Also said preferred exemplary form of the invention will operate to very effectively loosen and/or remove scalp dandruif and, in effect, to clean hair in two ways, tirs-t, by reason of the physical and vibratory abrasive contact along each hair shaft provided by the apparatus when combed through the hair while vibrating, and second by reason of the fact that the massaging effect of the apparatus on the scalp is such as to cause the sebaceous glands and hair follicles to increase their effective secretion of the natural hair grooming oils normally present on healthy hair. Also, the appara-tus will facilitate massaging the hair and scalp and will effectively provide in one preferred form thereof 300 hair brushing or combing strokes (usually performed by hand in conventional prior art practice) in just a few minutes of use.

Additionally, it should be noted that the comb can be quickly and easily removed for cleaning and replacement and can be supplied in a variety of types and/or sizes and also in a variety of degrees of comb tooth coarseness or neness to suit the needs of a particular application or use thereof. Additionally, the combs can be supplied in a variety of colors for esthetic or identification purposes. For example, various different members of a family may intend to use the apparatus of the present invention, but may prefer to change the combs before such use so that each member of the family will be using his own pair of combs, and variation in color will provide a quick and easy means for each member of the family to identify his particular pair of combs.

It should also be noted that the pair of combs may be interchanged for a pair of brushes or a pair of massaging members which may be provided with suitable head or scalp contacting means or other body surface contacting means, which may be made of relatively soft rubber, plastic, or other elastomeric material and which may 3,272,023 Patented Sept. I3, i966 ICC lconsist of a plurality of projecting ngers or the like,

or which may assume any form suitable for -direct contact with a desired portion of the scalp, face or other body surface which is to be massaged. All such applicatory members are intended to be included within the broad scope of the present invention.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel power driven apparatus for reciprocating two or more applicatory members and having any or all of the advantages referred to herein and including any or all of the features referred to herein, generically and/ or specically, and individually or in combination, and which is of extremely simple, inexpensive construction adapted for mass manufacture at a relatively low `cost whereby to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but not specifically limiting, the present invention), and such objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, one exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheet and is described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. l is a three-dimensional view of one exemplary embodiment of the invention wherein it is adapted to oppositely reciprocate a pair of longitudinal applicatory members comprising longitudinal hair comb members. The electrical cord is centrally broken away for drawing space conservation reasons.

FIG. 2 is a slightly larger-scale view taken substantially along the staggered plane indicated by the arrows 2 2 of FIG. 1, with certain portions of the apparatus being shown in section and with certain other portions being shown in full top plan elevation rather than in section.

FIG. 3 is a view of the complete device taken substantially along a plane such as indicated by the arrows 3 3 of FIG. 2 and with certain portions of the apparatus being shown in section and with certain other portions of the apparatus being shown in full side elevation rather than in section. It should be noted that the central portion of the comb teeth are indicated diagrammatically rather than being shown in full detail for reasons of drawing simplification. It should also be noted that the rear longitudinal comb member and the coupling block at the right end thereof are slightly forward of the front longitudinal comb member and coupling block at the right end thereof, and therefore, certain left portions thereof would normally be seen in elevation in FIG. 3. However, it has been found that showing same merely confuses the drawing with a multiplicity of lines, and therefore, said left portions of said rear comb and the coupling block at the right end thereof are not shown in FIG. 3 for reasons of drawing simplification and clarity.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the arrows 4 4 of FIG. 3 and illustrates the detail of the two attachment shank portions of the two longitudinal comb members, the two corresponding coupling block members, the two corresponding cam means, and the return pivotal linkage means centrally pivoted in the housing means and having opposite ends pivoted to the two coupling block members for providing for the return of each coupling block member previously forwardly driven by the corresponding cam means.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, Itaken substantially along the plane indicated bythe arrows 5--5 of FIG. 2.

Generally speaking, the exemplary forrn of the invention illustrated may be said to comprise a longitudinal guide means, such as is generally designated at 11, having a pair of laterally spaced, parallel, longitudinally directed guide slots defined therein, as indicated at 12, and cooperable to longitudinally slidably receive and retain therein the corresponding longitudinal slide members carried at the top of a pair of applicatory members which are to be reciprocated by the apparatus of the present invention.

In the preferred exemplary form of the invention illustrated, the above-mentioned longitudinal slide members are indicated at 13, and each comprises a longitudinal comb back member of the corresponding longitudinal comb means, generally designated at 14. It should, of course, be understood that said pair of comb members 14 comprise the exemplary applicatory members referred lto broadly hereinabove and are to be understood as comprising only one exemplary form of the many forms of such applicatory members which may be reciprocated by the apparatus of the present invention.

It will be noted that, in the exemplary form illustrated, each of the longitudinal guide slots 12 is substantially T-shaped in cross section, while each of the longitudinal slide members 13 comprising the longitudinal comb back members have certain substantially outwardly directed retaining flange portions 1S which are substantially T-'shaped in cross section and which are of a size and shape such as 4to be readily slidably positioned within the corresponding T-shaped guide slot portions 12 whereby to slidably mount each of the two longitudinal comb members 14 for relative longitudinal reciprocation with respect to the longitudinal guide means 11 in the manner perhaps most clearly shown in FIGS. l and 2.

It will be noted that each of said longitudinal applicatory members, comprising the pair of longitudinal hair comb frnernbers 14, has a rearwardly directed attachment shank portion 16 which is adapted to be effectively coupled with respect to, and reciprocatably driven by, the reciprocation means, generally indicated at 17, as best shown in FIGS. 2-5,` which is positioned in effective driving and reciprocating relationship with respect t-o said shank portions 16, in the preferred exemplary form of the invention illustrated, in a manner such that each of said shank portions 16 will be longitudinally reciprocated in 180 degree out-of-phase relationship with respect to the other shank portion 16 whereby to cause the two longitudinal comb back members 13 to be slidably oppositely reciprocated along the T-shaped slots 12 and to correspondingly oppositely reciprocate the two longitudinal comb members 14 whenever the reciprocatiou means 17 is ldriven by the driving motor means 18.

It will be noted that the driving motor means 18, in the preferred exemplary form of the invention illustrated, comprises a controllably energizable and de-energizable electric motor means provided with an exterior two-wire electric extension cord 19 and plug 21 for connection to a suitable electrical outlet (not shown) and is also provided with interior -wire means 22 connecting the pushbutton switch means 23 in series with the electric motor 18 so Ithat it will be electrically energized when the pushbutton switch 23 is digitally inwardly depressed. Upon the removal of digital pressure from the pushbutton switch 23, it will be opened and the driving electric motor 18 will be de-energized. The interior detail'of the pushbutton switch 23 is not shown since such arrangements are well known in the art and do not relate to the essential novelty of the present inventive concept.

It will lbe noted that, in the preferred exemplary form of `the invention illustrated, the reciprocation means 17 comprises a pair of laterally spaced cam members 24 rotatively mounted by a cross shaft 25 with respect to side wall portions S of the housing means indicated generally at 26. Each of said cam members 24 has a projecting eccentric cam lobe portion 27 positioned in 180 degree phase-displaced relationship with respect to the other cam lobe portion 27 as is perhaps best shown in FIG. 2. This causes the oppositely directed reciprocation of the two comb members 14 referred to above and does so in a manner which will be described more particularly hereinafter.

Inner surfaces of the two laterally spaced cam means or members 24 are effectively bevelled and provided with ring gear means, such as indicated at 28, which cooperate with opposite edges of Va driving bevelled gear 29 carried by the output shaft 31 of the driving electric motor 18, thus effectively drivingly coupling the motor 18 with respect to each of the two cam members 24 in a manner such that they will be oppositely rotated around axis of the horizontal shaft 25 and will maintain the 180 degree phase displacement ofthe two eccentric cam lobe portions 27 so that first one longitudinal comb member 14 will be driven forwardly and then the other longitudinal comb member 14 will be driven forwardly and vice versa, whereby to bring about the above-mentioned opposite reciprocation thereof.

The above-mentioned opposite reciprocation of the comb members 14 is further facilitated by reason of the provision of return means eectively coupled with respect to the lshank portions 16 of the longitudinal comb members 14 whereby to cause the return movement of each 'longitudinal comb member 14 during the period of time that the other one is being forwardly driven by its forwardly projecting eccentric cam lobe portion 27.

In the preferred exemplary form of the invention illustrated, said return means comprises pivotal linkage means, generally designated at 32, which is centrally pivoted by a vertical pivot .pin 33 extending between a bottom wall 26B of the housing means 26 and atop cover portion 26C positioned thereover. The pivot pin 33 is positioned between a pair of coupling block members 34 which are effectively connected between the cams 24 and said shank portion 16, and opposite ends of said return pivotal linkage means 32 are effective-ly -pivotally connected by pivot pins 35 to the corresponding coupling block members 34.

It should also be noted that in the exemplary form illustrated, each of said coupling blocks 34 has an inwardly open, substantially centrally positioned aperture 36 receiv- Ving the corresponding end of said return linkage means 32 lfor pivotal attachment thereto by the corresponding vertical pivot pin 35.

Since the forward or left end por-tions of each of the coupling blocks 34 is connected to the corresponding shank portion 16 and since the right or rear ends of each of said coupling blocks 34 is provided with a rear abutment cam follower surface 37 which rides against the corresponding cam member 24, it is obvious that the arrangement just described provides a positive return of each previously forwardly driven coupling block member 34, such as the upper one shown in FIG. 2, for example, wherein it will 4be readily understood that rotation of the lower cam member 24 180 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 2 -will cause its eccentric cam Vlobe portion 27 to move forwardly against the abutment plate and cam follower 37 of the lower coupling block 34 in FIG. 2 and drive same forwardly while at the same time the eccentric cam lobe portion 27 on the upper cam 24 will be moved to the rear. The pivoting of the linkage means 32 around the fixed location central pivot pin 33 will positively return the upper coupling member 34 to its former extreme rear (or right, as shown in FIG. 2) position similar so that of the lower coupling block member 34 in FIG. 2. Of course, this type of return action will also apply to the other coupling block member during the succeeding 180 degree phase of rotation of the reciprocation means 17.

During the above-described action, the coupling block members 34 may be slidably guided within the housing means 26 by appropriate slideway means, if desired, or may be allowed to freely move within the constraints provided by the system and by the exit :slots 38 at the forward end of the housing means 26 through which the shank portions 16 extend.

Also, the housing means 26 may provide suitable bearing means for the motor shaft or other rotating parts, if desired, and preferably said moving parts (with the exception of the motor 18) may be made of a relatively hard and essentially self-lubricating type of .plastic such as molded nylon or the like, although not specifically so limited.

The above may also be true ,of the cover portion 26C of the housing 26, which effectively comprises an integral rear end extension portion of the previously mentioned longitudinal guide means 11. It will be noted, that in the exemplary form illustrated, said rear end extension, comprising said housing means cover portion 26C, is effectively controllably removably fastened with respect to the underlying housing means 26 by controllably removable fastening means, such as the threaded fastener means indicated at 3-9, to facilitate quick and easy disassembly of the housing means 26 from the housing cover portion 26C if such is needed for the purpose of repairing and/or replacing any of the elements of the apparatus positioned within the housing means 26.

However, it is not necessary to open the housing means 26 in order to remove, interchange and/or replace the longitudinal comb members 14, and this is made possible by reason of a novel locking means for the rear shank means 16 of said longitudinal comb members 14 and comprising a lock spring means 41 having its rear end 41E integrally carried within the corresponding coupling block 34 and having at its forward end what might be termed a resilient .hook means 41H adapted to be resiliently snapped into locking relationship with respect to a correspondin-g hook-receiving notch means 42 carried by the bottom edge of the corresponding comb shank portion l16. This arrangement will firmly lock each of the two comb shank portions 16 in place, yas best shown in FIG. 3, and yet will allow each of said comb members 14 to be removed when desired by merely disengaging the hook 41H from the notch 42 and slidably removing the comb, after which either or both of the combs may be cleaned and replaced or may be interchanged with other combs which may then be remounted in the slots 38.

It should be noted that 'the oppositely directed rotation of the two cam members 24, and the coupling thereof by the bevelled ring gears 28 and the central bevelled spur gear 29, to the driving electric motor 18 may be modified so as to drive both cam members 24 the same direction around the axis of the shaft 25. This may be very simply accomplished by merely fastening the two cam members 24 together and having a single spur gear drive of said joined cam assembly in lieu of the driving and cam arrangement best illustrated in FIG. 2.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

We claim:

1. A power-driven apparatus for opposi-tely reciprocating a pair of spaced applicatory members, comprising: a pair of applicatory members, each having a longitudinal slide member connected thereto and each having a rearwardly directed attachment shank portion; a longitudinal [gu-ide means having a pair of laterally spaced, parallel, longitudinally directed guide slots defined therein slidably longitudinally receiving 'and retaining therein corresponding ones of said -longitudinal slide members; reciprocation means positioned in effective driving and reciprocating relationship with respect to one of said attachment shank portions of one of said applicatory members for longitudinally reciprocating same with respect to said longitudinal guide means, and in l degree out of phase driving and reciprocating relationship with respect to the other attachment shank portion of the other applicatory member for longitudinally reciprocating same with respect to said longitudinal guide means in exact opposition to the reciprocation of said first-mentioned applicatory member, said Vreciprocation means being provided with driving controllably energizeable and de-energizeable electric motor means coupled thereto, said reciprocation means comprising a pair of cam members having projecting eccentric cam lobe portions positioned in i180 degree phase-displaced relationship with respect to each other and mounted for simultaneous rotation in effective rotating engagement with respect to the corresponding ones of said attachment shank portions of said applicatory members; and a pair of coupling block members, each effectively receiving and be ing effectively coupled with respect to a corresponding one of said attachment shank portions of said applicatory members and each having a rear abutment cam follower surface cooperable with the corresponding cam member for forcible forward movement thereby; said cam members having inner surfaces which are effectively bevelled and effectively provided thereon with bevel `gear means, said driving motor being provided with a driving bevelled gear simultaneously engaging the bevel gear means of each of said cam members for simultaneously rotating same in opposite directions.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said coupling block members is provided with lock spring means having resilient hook means at the forward end thereof, and wherein each of said attachment shank portions has a corresponding hook-receiving notch means cooperable therewith for resiliently locking each of said attachment shank portions with respect to the corresponding coupling block member.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said longitudinal guide means has a rear end portion provided with housing means positioned immediately thereunder and carrying said reciprocation means, said motor means driving same, said attachment shank portions of said pair of applicatory members and said coupling blocks coupling same with respect to said reciprocation means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including return means effectively coupled with respect to said attachment shank portions of the corresponding ones of said pair of applicatory members for effectively alternately returning them toward the reciprocation means in response to having been alternately forwardly driven thereby.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including return means effectively coupled with respect to said attachment shank portions of the corresponding ones of said pair of applicatory members for effectively alternately returning them toward the reciprocation means in response to having been alternately forwardly driven thereby, said return means comprising pivotal linkage means centrally pivoted at a fixed location relative to said reciprocation means and having opposite end portions effectively pivo-tally connected with respect to each of said attachment portions of the corresponding applica-tory members.

:6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said guide slots has at least certain portions which are substantially T-shaped in cross-section and each of said longitudinal slide members has at least certain similarly positioned, substantially T-shaped, outwardly directed retaininglange porti-ons sldably positonedwithi th corresponding T-shaped portions of said guide slots.

ReferencesCted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Cherry 30--272 Pierce et a1 SOQZZO Prediger 128-52 X Hershey 12S- 52 X s d 2,994,175 :M1961l Wiuiams 56-297 3,203,095 s/1965 Nelson so-272 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,120,106 4/1956 France.

FRED C. MATTERN, IR., Primary Examiner.

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Examiner.

D. H. THIEL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A POWER-DRIVEN APPARATUS FOR OPPOSITELY RECIPROCATING A PAIR OF SPACED APPLICATORY MEMBERS, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF APPLICATORY MEMBERS, EACH HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLIDE MEMBER CONNECTED THERETO AND EACH HAVING A REARWARDLY DIRECTED ATTACHMENT SHANK PORTION; A LONGITUDINAL GUIDE MEANS HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED, PARALLEL, LONGITUDINALLY DIRECTED GUIDE SLOTS DEFINED THEREIN SLIDABLY LONGITUDINALLY RECEIVING AND RETAINING THEREIN CORRESPONDING ONES OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SLIDE MEMBERS; RECIPROCATION MEANS POSITIONED IN EFFECTIVE DRIVING AND RECIPROCATING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF SAID ATTACHMENT SHANK PORTIONS OF ONE OF SAID APPLICATORY MEMBERS OF FOR LONGITUDINALLY RECIPROCATING SAME WITH RESPECT TO SAID LONGITUDINAL GUIDE MEANS, AND IN 180 DEGREE OUT OF PHASE DRIVING AND RECIPROCATING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER ATTACHMENT SHANK PORTION OF THE OTHER APPLICATORY MEMBER FOR LONGITUDINALLY RECIPROCATING SAME WITH RESPECT TO SAID LONGITUDINAL GUIDE MEANS IN EXACT POSITION TO THE RECIPROCATION OF SAID FIRST-MENTIONED APPLICATORY MEMBER, SAID RECIPROCATION MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH DRIVING CONTROLLABLY ENERGIZEABLE AND DE-ENERGIZABLE ELECTRIC MOTOR MEANS COUPLED THERETO, SAID RECIPROCATION MEANS COMPRISIN A PAIR OF CAM MEMBERS HAVING PROJECTING ECCENTRIC CAM LOBE PORTIONS POSITIONED IN 180 DEGREE PHASE-DISPLACED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND MOUNTED FOR SIMULTANEOUS ROTATION IN EFFECTIVE ROTATING ENGAGEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE CORRESPONDING ONES OF SAID ATTACHMENT SHANK PORTIONS OF SAID APPLICATORY MEMBERS; AND A PAIR OF COUPLING BLOCK MEMBERS, EACH EFFECTIVELY RECEIVING AND BE ING EFFECTIVELY COUPLED WITH RESPECT TO A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID ATTACHMENT SHANK PORTIONS OF SAID APPLICATORY MEMBERS AND EACH HAVING A REAR ABUTMENT CAM FOLLOWER SURFACE COOPERABLE WITH THE CORRESPONDING CAM MEMBER FOR FORCIBLE FORWARD MOVEMENT THEREBY; SAID CAM MEMBER HAVING INNER SURFACES WHICH ARE EFFECTIVELY BEVELLED AND EFFECTIVELY PROVIDED THEREON WITH BEVEL FEAR MEANS, SAID DRIVING MOTOR BEING PROVIDED WITH A DRIVING BEVELLED GEAR SIMULTANEOUSLY ENGAGING THE BEVEL GEAR MEANS OF EACH OF SAID CAM MEMBERS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY ROTATING SAME IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. 